PAFC is dying

[Dogwatcher]

So when, as recently as 5 years ago, the AFL side of the club tried to distance itself from the Magpies, you were entertaining the thought of supporting them?

And that's the problem, isn't it?
Port Adelaide (AFL) tried to blend its history with the new to attract the neutrals.
It gave up on that when it dropped the Port Power moniker.
"We are Port Adelaide".
Any neutrals swaying were never going to do that once that happened.
I don't blame Port for trying both angles but it's confused the hell out of potential supporters, as has the two teams fact.
Maybe it is best, sadly, if the Maggies shuffle off this mortal coil.
I'd hate to see it happen but I'm not sure if both sides (which was forced upon the club) are sustainable.

[Booney]

The Rugby Sevens got almost 27,000 in total!
And Gold Coast v Carlton got more in BRISBANE!
I knew a long time ago the Power experiment was a total failure but even I expected at least 30k there on a Saturday afternoon.
I hope they use some common sense and cancel all curtain raiser SANFL games for the Power now, complete waste of time.

Although not happy with the total I think to be reasonable you need to consider :

The Rugby Sevens,a once a year event, with ( I think ) 16 Nations represented, it should get more than a Port V West Coast game.

Gold Coast v Carlton - The AFL's newest club first ever game, could have played it in Alice Springs and drawn near 30,000.

[Wedgie]

I think you need to consider this is a football state and Queensland isn't!
The Sevens involves fringe fringe players who can't even get a gig in the Super 15s and would normally be playing club rugby!
Ports crowd was nothing short of disgraceful in a state that used to get the best sporting crowds per populous in Australia!
The sooner the 2 clubs merge and just run the one club in the SANFL the better for this state and the AFL and the SANFL, a win/win/win.

[CENTURION]

If they want more supporters, lose all reference to Port. What's wrong with Adelaide Power? For years and years, everyone has been brainwashed since birth to hate Port, so if you have any reference to them, you ain't gonna win over the neutrals & new supporters.

[Wedgie]

If they want more supporters, lose all reference to Port. What's wrong with Adelaide Power? For years and years, everyone has been brainwashed since birth to hate Port, so if you have any reference to them, you ain't gonna win over the neutrals & new supporters.

They did that early on and got crowds over 35,000. Even I was counted as a Power member for AFL purposes those years and I went to quite a few games.
I think the horse has bolted now though and needs to be put down.

[CENTURION]

If they want more supporters, lose all reference to Port. What's wrong with Adelaide Power? For years and years, everyone has been brainwashed since birth to hate Port, so if you have any reference to them, you ain't gonna win over the neutrals & new supporters.

They did that early on and got crowds over 35,000. Even I was counted as a Power member for AFL purposes those years and I went to quite a few games.
I think the horse has bolted now though and needs to be put down.

No, i don't think so. There's always new supporters coming through, it's worth a try, IMHO.

[Barto]

Ports crowd was nothing short of disgraceful in a state that used to get the best sporting crowds per populous in Australia!

It's been the frustrating thing that we used to be able to get crowds like that to SANFL games. In an elite AFL competition, you'd expect something bigger and better than what we used to have.

I'd be interested to see a comparison of Port's crowd, combined with the weekend's SANFL attendance compared to a round of SANFL games attendances from 30 years ago.

[robranisgod]

Ports crowd was nothing short of disgraceful in a state that used to get the best sporting crowds per populous in Australia!

It's been the frustrating thing that we used to be able to get crowds like that to SANFL games. In an elite AFL competition, you'd expect something bigger and better than what we used to have.

I'd be interested to see a comparison of Port's crowd, combined with the weekend's SANFL attendance compared to a round of SANFL games attendances from 30 years ago.

Actually the real big SANFL crowds were generally 40 years or more ago.

In 1967 for example in a round where there were 5 SANFL games all on a Saturday, Sturt vs North at Adelaide drew 27,000 people, only Port vs Norwood would have drawn that crowd from the 1970s onwards.

[Reddeer]

Just face the fact that you either Love Port or Hate them with a passion.
Unfortunately for Port (Power and/or Magpies) most of this state just hate them, mainly because they were so successful over the years. Thats not the case now. Everyone loves a winner!!!
If the SANFL have to continually bail out the Club the SANFL will go down at the same time as Port.
Moving to Adelaide Oval will prove to be a dud idea and very expensive for the State at that.
Local Live Telecasts against the gate are a deathnell for attendances and these days there are so much other entertainment available as competition to sport. I can remember going to Torrens games with a crowd of around 20,000
Never can happen now.

[LPH]

In this life 'you reap what you sow'...

Port made the call ...
THEY were the one's who 'did the dirty' (c/- Bruce Webber)
THEY were the supporters that wore the "F**K the Crows" T-shirts
THEY were the club that claimed 'The Creed'
THEY are the players that wear '1870' on their backs
- alienate 'neutral AFL' supporters

THEY are the club that 'stole' the History from the original club
- alienate their OWN

THEY are the club that can't get crowds & have to cover seats with plastic
- now alienate the TAX PAYERS of the state (re: upgrade of Adelaide Oval)

To cry 'foul' & moan about their treatment is a little rich, me thinks.

You do in fact, reap what you sow

[whufc]

In this life 'you reap what you sow'...

Port made the call ...
THEY were the one's who 'did the dirty' (c/- Bruce Webber)
THEY were the supporters that wore the "F**K the Crows" T-shirts
THEY were the club that claimed 'The Creed'
THEY are the players that wear '1870' on their backs
- alienate 'neutral AFL' supporters

THEY are the club that 'stole' the History from the original club
- alienate their OWN

THEY are the club that can't get crowds & have to cover seats with plastic
- now alienate the TAX PAYERS of the state (re: upgrade of Adelaide Oval)

To cry 'foul' & moan about their treatment is a little rich, me thinks.

You do in fact, reap what you sow

LIKE

Also remember PAFC supporters in 95-96 carrying around cardboard coffins saying RIP CDFC/SANFL.......................................................................

How times have changed

[Ingall]

I am constantly amazed by Port Adelaide's inability to draw a big crowd. For those of us where were around pre-1991, I fully understand that unless you were a Magpies supporter, you are unlikely to follow them. What I don't understand is why more neutrals and especially kids aren't drawn to them. For someone with no SANFL-bred hatred of Port Adelaide, I could see their attraction as a team. Rich history, attractive emblem (for kids), colours that you wouldn't feel like a dick wearing on non-footy days, not to mention plenty of available seating. . In their early years (perhaps still) they would have also had the underdog tag which never hurts as far as neutrals go.

People that abandoned the SANFL in 1991 could have kids in their 20's now. If their parents didn't keep a relationship with their SANFL club (and instill the anti-Port feeling), then they are potential clean slates. In a two team town it would stand to reason that Port would pick up many of these people given the fact that plenty of kids will pick a team different to their parents (I know mine do).

Maybe it's got something to do with only being able to see your team once a fortnight. Obviously this affects all the other non-Melbourne based clubs, but maybe something about Port Adelaide supporters and potential supporters makes them turned off by this more than others. I did also wonder whether it had something to do with the people of Adelaide, because I am a little surprise that the stadium isn't bursting at the seams when the Crows play either.

I don't know what else the PAFC can do. Trying to cater for everyone didn't work, and it seems that the 'creed' stuff hasn't either. Not sure where they can go from here.

[whufc]

What were the SANFL Grand Final Crowds in 95-96 presuming that the crowd was a 50-50 split and at best 60-40 in favour of Port thats till only around the 25-30K not including nuetrals etc etc.

Presuming most 'bangwagoners' jump on come GF's i dont really know what kind of crowds they could have expected. Especially once the weather/bad form/price rise etc etc that goes with AFL football.

I guess as well that this generation of children who Port are trying to turn into Power fans still have thay parents/grand parents who have that 'passionate' hate for Port and could think of nothing worse than their child supporting Port, maybe crowds will increase in a generation or two when that 'passionate' hate isnt as prominent as it still is now.

My daughters will never ever ever support a team who wears black and white!!!

[Ingall]

My daughters will never ever ever support a team who wears black and white!!!

My oldest daughter picked Port mainly because she knew it would piss me off. Luckily she's a teenager now so other things have taken over and football is not talked about anymore - crisis averted.

The problem is the middle daughter who has seemed to taken a likening to Collingwood.

[spell_check]

The almost live against the gate doesn't help anyone, bar the TV networks. Once upon a time it used to be a two or so hour delay, which helped attract people to the match.

And, a whole heap of ifs and buts and hindsights does not make matters any better. But, I wonder what sort of crowds would have been, if the Cartel got in. Then there could have been a likely North of the Torrens/South of the Torrens rivalry which did not alienate any fan.

[pipers]

I was also interested to see a number of Magpie supporters leaving the carpark with me.

Magpie does NOT = Power fan...

[dedja]

one club, 2 supporters?

[pipers]

Woeful.

but that is 100% Magpies! Where are these 1.5M redlegs fans that were allegedly outnumbering us 10 million to 1 ???

[spell_check]

Not quite 100% Magpies - there are two Power fans and someone in a white coat looking for someone to take away.

[pipers]

Maybe it is best, sadly, if the Maggies shuffle off this mortal coil.
I'd hate to see it happen but I'm not sure if both sides (which was forced upon the club) are sustainable.

Agree, but it would be better the other way around.